Approval of £22 million redevelopment of Harrogate College branded “a lesson in poor decision-making”

North Yorkshire councillors this week gave the go-ahead for the work which will involve the demolition of the college’s main building.

A new hub will now be built on Hornbeam Park to train students in green technology.

The proposal will include a mock hospital ward, a digital technology suite and an electric vehicle workshop.

The redevelopment had been subject to a legal challenge from local company, Hornbeam Park Developments.

But members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee unanimously voted in favour of the rebuild at a meeting on Tuesday (May 27).

Reacting to the decision, David Waddington, from Hornbeam Park Developments, which had launched the RE:VISION – Harrogate College campaign to oppose the scheme, said the group was “deeply disappointed” by the outcome.

He added: “These plans, in their current form, are nothing short of a lesson in poor decision-making which will unleash years of traffic and parking chaos onto nearby residents and effectively flush millions in public funds down the drain.”

He added: “This also represents a major failure for students by delivering a smaller facility which is not fit for the future and goes against the college’s growth ambitions.

“We were never against investment in the college, far from it.

“In fact, our alternative solution, which involved the use of neighbouring land controlled by the Department for Education, would have paved the way for Harrogate to become an educational powerhouse for the region, but the approval of these plans throws that golden opportunity out of the window.”

The decision was welcomed however by York and North Yorkshire mayor, David Skaith.

He said: “Everyone in our region should have the chance to thrive – that means connecting our communities to the opportunities that matter.

“Harrogate College’s redevelopment marks a big investment for the future of our region, giving people the skills and training needed for tomorrow’s jobs and helping our local economy grow.”

The rebuild is set to be completed during the 2026 academic year.